Spring is in the air today, and while it might snow tomorrow, I'm hoping against hope that it is here to stay! This time of year is always full of quickly changing weather, the songs of birds in the air, and splashes of color as Mother Nature begins to slowly stretch her legs after a winter-long hibernation. Unfortunately, she can be a bit like me, hitting the snooze button more than a few times before getting up. :)

This month's Limited Edition Color from Lorna's Laces is an homage to the reawakening of Spring through the eyes of a musician. March's color, Symphony, was inspired by the artistic musings of our very own Kathy! A talented flautist (flute player), Kathy majored in music and was a high school band director in Texas before she became a Wizard of Wool here at Jimmy Beans.

When faced with the challenge of designing an original LLE color, Kathy called on her musical background for inspiration. Knowing spring was just around the corner, she decided to compose a color that reflected both the colorful flow of a musical symphony and the beautifully orchestrated transition of winter to spring. She began with an organic foundation of earthy browns for the underlying harmonies and added a glimmer of light with melodious golden hues. For emotional intensity and a breath of living color, an intense royal purple gives Symphony spirited depth while the final boundless blue serenely brings this complex colorway together. Vibrant and unique, Symphony will add luscious color to the last vestiges of winter and bring a song to your stash ;)

Madelinetosh lovers and lace knitters unite in rejoicing - Tosh Lace and Prairie are now here at JBW! It's always a lovely surprise when new Tosh yarns arrive to our shop since every yarn (whether because of the fiber, weight, and/or ply) carries and shows off the dye differently. Never a disappointment, Madelinetosh is often responsible for many of our oohs and awes here at the shop, and, of course, they never cease to offer exceptional yarns (if we do say so ourselves)! The latest to our lineup, Tosh Lace and Prairie, are definitely no exception!

Prairie is a single ply lace weight yarn that takes the hand dye wonderfully resulting in imbued, slightly saturated hues that are pleasing to the eye and oh, so silky against the skin. A squishy soft, scrumptious yarn - what more is there to say? Prairie is going to be that yarn that you'll want to frog just so you don't have to stop working with it!

Tosh Lace, on the other hand, is the epitome of delicate lace yarn- incredibly soft, dyed in rich colorways, and delightfully lightweight. With slightly more yardage than the Prairie at 950, one skein will be more than enough for any medium sized lace project. The two ply quality of the Tosh Lace takes the dye a little bit differently than the Prairie, resulting in more refined, classic tones. If you've been looking for that perfect yarn to make up a sophisticated shawl, look no more!

No matter which one you choose, you're gauranteed to fall in love. Since they're available in all of your favorite Tosh colorways, you'll want to try one of each!
As always, if you don't see the color you're looking for in any of our Madelinetosh yarns, please don't hesitate to ask! We are more than happy to add more colors to our line. Besides, how can we possibly say no to more Madelinetosh?

Also new to our Madelinetosh lineup are a few new patterns that we just can't help but want to drop everything and instead cast these gems on!

The Daisy Mitts are a fun and fast knit that I would love to knit up in the Prairie (I'm thinking Sequoia for the body and Glazed Pecan for the trim). The stripes at the bottom add just the right amount of color variety that would keep me engaged while the merino wool of the Prairie will be oh-so-soft and warm on my hands and fingers!

For those knitters out there who can't get enough of Tosh yarns and want to make something a bit bigger, both the Fall Away Cardigan and the Railroad Vest are your go-to patterns for this upcoming spring. The Railroad Vest, knit in Tosh Vintage, will be both easy to knit up and your favorite cozy accessory to throw on when the March wind is blowing.

We also know that springtime can offer varying temperatures and weather patterns-even in the same day! So, if you're looking to knit up something a bit more versatile, the Fall Away Cardigan is the perfect way to fall into spring time knitting. Knit in the sumptuous Pashmina, you can leave it open for a more flowing, cascading garment or button it up at the top to ward away that lingering winter chill.

Yum, yum! Silky Merino from Malabrigo is here in a tantalizing array of their vivid kettle dyed colorways. Impossibly soft, Silky Merino is a 50/50 silk and merino blend with 150 yards per 50g hank. Using US 6 needles, this DK weight yarn knits up at 5.5 stitches to the inch making it perfect for flowing projects with plenty drape. Use 2 hanks for the Scroll Lace Scarf by Ysolda Teague or paired with a ball of Rowan Kidsilk Haze for the popular Annabella's Cowl!

Another must have, trouble-saving device from Bryson Knits! Removable and reusable, these nifty Highlighter Tapes are the perfect signposts for never losing your place again in patterns! From keeping track of where you are in complicated lace charts to marking the last row you've completed before turning in for the night, these Highlighter Tapes will make your knitting life a little easier with every row.

New Never Not Knitting patterns keep arriving to our doorstep (lucky us!) and each one is better than the last! The newest trio of patterns we've received include delightful accessories for spring-time knits. From the sophisticated Cloudy Day beret to the cozy cabled Cream and Sugar Cowl, these patterns are perfect for those breezy transition days. I personally love the graceful Seedling beret, which seems simple enough to knit up in a few evenings! In fact, I bought two skeins of the sumptuous Malabrigo Silky Merino for just this pattern and have been dying to cast on!

Charming and contemporary, the Sonoma Fine Scarves are beautiful scarf patterns for any season or occasion. Both the larger two-toned Ruffle Scarf and whimsical Small Scarf add an extra touch of class to an ensemble. Knit in the silky soft Boucle Mohair from Be Sweet, these featherweight scarves take only 1-3 balls and US 13 needles!

Noro Flowers 2 is the latest collection of stylish patterns from Jenny Watson that is sure to inspire all you Noro fans out there! From cardigans in loud colors to lacy tops in muted pastels to vests and tunics you'll want to wear year-round, there is a design in here for everyone! Use 2-3 skeins of Kureyon Sock (select colors 40% off!) for the lacy One-Button Cardigan or 5-7 balls of Taiyo for a cabled Waistcoat.

Lisa Shroyer's latest book, Knitting Plus, is a spectacular guideline on understanding your own body shape and learning how to tweak any pattern to make it your own -a design that will fit perfectly and flatter your figure in every which way! Each project gradually introduces more complex techniques, making it easy to familiarize yourself with customization skills. Some of our favorite projects include the simple but luscious Banstead Pullover and the more challenging but well worth the knit Delsea Pullover!

You can never have too many project pouches for your various Works-In-Progress, and thankfully della Q has you covered with 4 new fabric choices in their Eden Cotton Project Bags! Fresh and colorful, these delightful prints are stylish and easy to find among your other knitting and/or crochet projects. The Eden pouches are definitely a step up from zip-lock baggies with a drawstring closure and separate inside knick-knacks pocket for your smaller notions. Both functional and reusable, these project bags are ideal for easy organization!

Zoe is one of our latest razzle-dazzle yarns from Trendsetter! A blend of cotton, viscose, and polyester, this worsted weight yarn will be the perfect choice to put an extra spring in your step this season for a colorful and lightweight scarf to wear for a night on the town or a distinctive and snazzy tunic for those spring time picnics. Or, grab a skein of Trendsetter's Flamenco to pair with this yarn for a lavish scarf or wrap for opulent ruffles and gorgeous color changes!

Keep an eye on Wool Watcher this weekend to snag some skeins of the Zoe at a great price!

Searching for finely crafted, one-of-a-kind buttons? Look no further! Beautiful and unique Jim Knopf Buttons are here! Kid friendly and full of personality, the cutesy wooden Critter or Monster buttons are perfect for children's clothing and accessories.

The understated Coconut and Enamel Buttons are the ideal all-around button that can be used for everything from sophisticated sweaters to casual cardigans. And those who prefer the classic elegance of shell will appreciate the Two-Tone Shell Buttons as well as the delicate Shell Flower Buttons. Whatever your button needs may be, there is a Jim Knopf button for your brand of style!

The new Spring 2011 issue of Interweave Knits offers a beautiful ensemble of classy springtime knitting! You're bound to fall in love with just about everything that this issue has to offer, from designs knit in the classic springtime fiber, linen, (such as The Heliotropic Pullover, a spiral tee knit in Rowan's Lenpur Linen) to modern and comfortable color-block home accessories such as the Hourglass Pillows shown in Tahki Coast. There is also a great assortment of lacy projects that offer beginner friendly scarves, leaf-like cardigans, and an incredible Estonian lace shawl, the Rose Lace Stole knit in Manos del Uruguay Lace. Perhaps one of our favorite projects in this issue, Plymouth Mushishi Curvy Squares Tee features a stunning entrelac design that is knit from the top-down and results in an amazingly simple piece that is both flexible and fitting to the figure.

Knitting Fever Yarns: Now Save Up to 46% Off!Now is a great time to stock up on some sumptuously soft yarns at stellar prices! Add some bling to your stash with the glittery Knitting Fever's Flutter Metallic or grab a few balls of Sublime's luscious Organic Wool for a comfy hat and scarf set. Looking for a deal on sock weight yarns? Consider Lace Merino by Ella Rae or Itata from Araucania! Lace Merino is a versatile superwash merino yarn in subtly variegated hues perfect for socks while Itata is a luxurious wool, silk, and bamboo blend with just a hint of shimmer in the hand-dyed shades that make this particular fiber ideal for wraps and shawls!

Nashua Yarn Now on Sale: 45% off!
Subtle color changes go a long way with Nashua's Shenandoah, a wonderfully adaptable 100% wool yarn that will suit just about any project that you might have in mind! Be sure to check out some of the fantastic kits that we've put together just for this sale event such as the Lace Pullover or the cozy and cute Cardigan.
Paradise is heavy worsted weight yarn that is composed of a super-soft blend of baby alpaca, wool, and nylon. The ripple-like strands of this yarn offer a unique fabric guaranteed to knit up a spectacularly plush fabric. We particularly love how the Flared Vest and the Top-Down Shrug look in the Paradise!

Ecologie Wool is another great 100% wool fiber from Nashua dyed in all natural plant materials. A heavy worsted yarn, Ecologie Wool is perfect for creating somewhat bulky knits that are both comfortable and earth-friendly to work with and wear. We've also made up some great kits including the Cabled Jacket and the bold Side to Side Cardigan.

Select Trendsetter Yarns Now On Sale: 50-63% Off!Like pirate gold, Treasure is sure to be a gem in your stash! Generous yardage, subtle contrasting textures, and multicolored strands creates a truly unique yarn. Much like the ever-so-popular Binario (now discontinued), Murano is a novelty ribbon yarn ideal for trim and adding that extra 'glam' to any finished project... or better yet creating your own unique and fun scarf! With its fun array of color changes, this yarn has just the right amount of sheen to make any project shine!

For those knitters and crocheters out there who prefer slightly less flashy ribbon yarn than the Murano, Valentina is the perfect antidote for all of your novelty yarn needs. A surprisingly versatile yarn, available in lovely pastels, I've seen elegant eyelet cardigans and incredibly fair-isle pullovers knit up in this yarn! Some of these Trendsetter yarns are now discontinued but if you see a color that you like that is out of stock, please don't hesitate to contact us! We might be able to obtain more from Trendsetter!

Lorna's Laces Green Line Dk and Worsted: Save 50%
Each week, we'll be getting new colors of the Green Line DK and Worsted from Lorna's Laces and we'll be selling them at 50% off.
If you see a color you like, grab it quickly because once we sell out, we're out!
Here are a few of the colors we have in stock this week:

For the 2011-2012 award year, there are six $3,000 scholarships up for grabs, one of which is guaranteed to go to a Reno/Tahoe local (the other 4 awards will be distributed evenly among the 4 U.S. Regions) and we are proud to be able to offer one International scholarship. (All application documents must be submitted in English.) We will begin mailing award letters on May 10, 2011; funds will be awarded beginning August 12, 2011.